Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-15
A Vision of Great Women.

A Vision of Great Women.
The poet, Tennyson, in one of his
most inspired productions gives us
what he calls "Vision Of Fail
Women" Iphigenia, Helen OF Troy
Jephtha's daughter, Cleopatra, Rosa
mond, and other shades of beautiful
women
Daughters of the gods divinely tall and
most divinely fair
Pass before us and melt again into
thin air."
There came over the wires on Thurs
day night from London few simple
words which call up vision of great
women, albeit some of them were not
so passing fair as those the poet
encountered in this visionary wood.
These words were: 'Dinah Muloch
is dead" Almost at the same time,
came another message from another
city to the effect that Jenny Lind is
dying. Ii in either OF these cases we
cannot say "a great man has fallen
in Israel" we can say in each case
that great daughter of Israel has
passed away. Dinah Muloch has
been a writer of fiction for nearly half
a whole generation. Her pen has
given the world a quar-
ter OF hundred delightful
books. Wherever the English tongue
is spoken, in all parts Of the. United
Kingdom, in every hamlet in Amer
lea, in the Australian bush, in the
SHOWS around Hudson's Bay, among
the Kaffirs OF South Africa, these
books have been read, and every
where they have served even higher
purpose than that of Willing away a
spare hour, or solacing the distressed,
or cheering the downcast. They have
played a most important part in
strengthening the moral life of thou
sands of young people. They have
done much also in the development
of sturdy character and honest,
healthy views of life in the minds of
others innumerable. How many
thousands have read "a Brave Lady,"
"Christian's Mistake" " "The Head of
the Family" ga Woman's King
dom," Mistress and Maid" and
most OF all the others. ga Life for a
Life" and "John Halifax, Gentle
man" And the death of Dinah
Muloch recalls the fact that
George Elliot, another very g reat
woman OF the generation just
passing away has died during recent
years. Nor do there seem to be any
women Of like mental mould coma
ing forward to take the place OF these,
and such as these who made lumin-
GUS the immediate past, with their
genius. Then there is the other great
artist in another line who is passing
away. Jenny Lind's voice has moi
been heard in song for many a day
past. 1t will not be heard at all this
side the stars in few more short
days. The Swedish nightingale
song will be heard no more. Another
very gifted women will cease to be 6
reality, and will become only a vision
in the minds of men. She has stood
before the feotlights in every metropolis
in the known world. Kings, Kaisers
and all the greatest ones of earth have
delighted to do her honor. The mos
rapt and ecstatic pleasure she ha.
caused to thrill the hearts of tens O
thousands. Her Swiss songs-wher
shall we hear their like again? TIL,
most perfect gems of song exten
of all schools, music o
high, pure, severe and classic typ,
she rendered with rare precision
Honest OF purpose, conscientious il
all she did, noble and pure in life, th,
gifted singer was great woman
And her greatly gifted countrywomal
Christine Nillson, another swee
singer, is lost to the artistic, and art
loving portion OF the world, or yer,
nearly so.
In another line OF art Ade
laide Nelson has passed away
and she no longer thrills
the people with her portraiture o
great character roles. Charlotte
Cushman, our own great countywomar
is no longer seen upon the mimi,
stage. Here are vast inroads made
upon the gifted women of our age
who hereafter shall he but visions anc
known only to some poet, gifted like
themselves, who shall meet theil
shades as they wander through
some dim woods accessible only to the
dreamy ken OF
Inc poets eye with fine frenzy burning
II Is subject worthy of the most
profound speculation to discover the
causes for no such brilliant constel
lation arising on the skies of literatur,
and high art, as was that composed O
these great stars, set or setting, Will
we say to them, farewell foreye
} now."